He would really like to claim politeness and an effort to make civil conversation as his reasons for asking Stefan about Elena, but the truth is that he simply couldn't resist the temptation to speak her name. A very small part of him, on that he so rarely chose to acknowledge, wanted to know if Elena was angry at him for betraying their carefully-wrought plan. The over-indulgence of human curiosity had been the fatal flaw of many famous personages and yet, he simply couldn't resist.
The news of Elena and Stefan's separation shook him to the core, and he was most thankful for his ability to maintain a carefully expression of mild surprise. He was no fool. He knew how dangerous it was to fall for another Petrova. Centuries of living had made him an expert at acknowledging and analyzing his feelings. It was pointless to deny that he had grown fond of Elena during their short time as allies. He cared for her, just as he had once cared for Katerina and Tatia before her.
Regardless of Elena's involvement with the Salvatore brothers and Klaus' need for her blood, he suspects he still would have done nothing about his feelings. Elena and he were an impossibility, and nothing would ever change that. It was true, Stefan's admission had sent a wave of hope through his traitorous heart, but he quickly pushed it aside. Hope for someone like he, for a situation such as the one he was currently trapped in, was a mere distraction, one that he could no afford. There were far more important matters to worry about than Elena Gilbert.
He glanced quickly at Damon then back at Klaus, and forced himself to concentrate.
